You Plus Me Equals Us, and Other Misleading Equations
by Miss Mango
Summary: When the Yankee came after me, he had no way of knowing that he would be getting more than he bargained for… Linka/Wheeler romance from Linka's Point of View
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Fellow CP fans, greetings! I'm giving myself chapter "prompts" from the endless songs on my playlists, just to get some fresh inspiration (see, aren't you glad I love music? :p). I'm going with a lighter tone on this one, but do expect lots of romance and maybe a laugh or two…

Chapter 1 - Tired

 _I'll undress you 'cuz you're tired_

 _Cover you as you desire_

 _When you fall asleep inside my arms_

"The Cure" - Lady Gaga, from _Joanne_

It was rare that she felt this exhausted. She was almost wobbly on her legs, as if her weight had suddenly become too much for her to bear. Muscles all over her body were howling with pain, some in places unknown to her before.

As the door opened before her, she shifted to her other foot, clutching the few items she was carrying closer to her chest. For comfort or simply out of habit, Linka was too tired to care by that point. Her mind was unfocused, it was too difficult to even reason.

Wheeler answered the door in his boxers, as if this were the most natural thing in the world, and a slight smile tugged the corners of Linka's lips upwards. Lazy yellow light flooded the doorstep, warm and enticing. The American was quite a sight to behold at what could only be close to midnight of that eternally long day/week (the blonde girl was no longer sure what the heck time frame it was anymore). One hand was placed on the door handle, while the other was clutching a towel used to manually dry his red hair. Wheeler had just stepped out of the shower, his skin glistening with a few drops of water here and there. Linka was painfully aware that she was staring unabashedly. His physique, which consisted of broad shoulders, a muscular chest and just-barely visible abs, was _something_ , and she blushed like a fool when he raised an eyebrow at her. Damn it, he was amused! _Pleased_ , actually, by her intent scrutiny. His little smirk told her so. She knew he'd probably bring it up later, when he would no doubt have her prisoner in his strong arms. She would try to deny it like she always did and he would kiss away her lies. She was looking forward to _letting_ him, actually. It was a most precious little game. They knew each other well from years of being colleagues, and their recent development to "go steady" was only deepening their bond. _Lame_!, Linka's thoughts were echoing, flying every which way inside her brain. She was so out of touch with the dating world she had lost the vocabulary for it. Go steady, woo, court, date, be one's beau, be an item, what was the right term for it? Linka scrunched up her features and decided that it was way too late an hour to have that ludicrous conversation with herself.

She watched as Wheeler continued to examine her silently, questions in his eyes, and she reminded herself that she needed to explain what the hell she was doing out there, when all each of them had so desperately needed and dreamed about had been to shower and sleep. The missions to "save the planet" (from pollution, anyway) had all taken one horrible, never-ending turn recently, and the five Planeteers had been plowing through for days and days. Infinite physical labor and emotional strain, over-time style. The _fun_ never did cease in the life of a Planeteer!

"I do not have any hot water," Linka mumbled a little, and felt something like the sting of tears clawing at her eyes. It had taken all her remaining crumbs of energy to get dressed all over again since the disappointing discovery, gather a few things and head to his hut. She had looked as forward to her shower as one does a beach vacation in Hawaii. In her mind, she was as covered in goo as the monster from the swamp in that movie, even though she tried reassuring herself that it could not be _that_ bad. The shower had been more of a psychological need to cleanse herself from work, and not having it at her immediate disposal had nearly caused her brain to short circuit. Linka was not even sure why she was here, knocking on Wheeler's door, when Gi's hut was so much closer to hers. Subconsciously, she knew that she desperately needed reassurance, to feel all right, whole, and no one was better at making her feel that way than her American sweetheart. That was the trait she loved best in him. The list was becoming longer as of late, and she felt a warm glow pulsating inside her. Especially now, as he readily stepped aside to give her space, adding in his brilliant smile as a bonus.

"You're welcome to use my shower, babe. I'll have a look at yours tomorrow, see what the problem is."

Linka nodded like a fool, not trusting her voice, for he'd caused her to fall just a teeny bit more in love. His warmth hit her full force like a tsunami, shaking up her foundations. His comforting tone was acting as a disinfectant on her wounds, but her brain was so jumbled up with fatigue that she chose to put aside all thinking for tonight. In short, she had to stop thinking all together, really, because none of her reasoning seemed lucid. Or sane. But whatever. She brushed past him, hurrying off to the bathroom, and closed the door behind her. The blonde began to strip down for the second time that evening, a little grumpily.

Only when the hot water started hitting her skin full on did she let out a breath of relief and satisfaction. Her muscles finally relaxed and the attack on her thoughts ceased. _Heaven!_ Linka decided that for this time, she would forgo the 'maximum-10-minutes' shower rule, and she leisurely lathered up her hair and scrubbed her body, happy as an elf. She could not remember if she had actually whistled through the ordeal, so great was her joy.

Feeling clean and temporarily re-energized, the Russian girl wrapped a towel around herself before wringing out her long hair. She walked over to the sink, moving aside Wheeler's shaving things, and picked up a comb to run through her hair. In her haste, she had forgotten her brush by her bedside, so this would have to do. She hadn't brought that many things along, except for her shampoo and fruity body wash, and she smiled slightly at the thought that Wheeler's bathroom now had a floral, _girly_ scent to it. At least she knew he wouldn't mind, since he was always going on about how exquisite she smelled.

The knock on the door caused her head to turn, and her thoughts refocused. Wheeler entered. He had put on a shirt for her benefit, and he was offering her something to wear, as well, since she hadn't thought to bring anything along. Linka felt anything but on the ball that evening. It wasn't like her to be so inefficient, forgetful, but the exhaustion was winning the battle against her best qualities.

She smiled at the redhead and he turned around, gentleman-like, as she ditched the damp towel and pulled on the T-shirt he had brought along. It was big on her, acting like a mini-dress that brushed her thighs, but it was clean and comfortable and at that point it felt very much like a hug against her skin.

Linka did not miss Wheeler's appreciative glance as it slid over her body clad only in his shirt. Apparently stuff like that drove guys wild, seeing their girl wearing their clothes, among other male fantasies. She had yet to figure out why, but a warm shiver travelled through her at his meaningful glance. Wheeler had the kind of eyes you could easily drown into if you let yourself, Linka had always thought. The clear blue reminded her of ocean waves, calm and soothing. Sure, his eyes were often alive with mischief and mirth, but they deepened in color when he became angry, or when desire passed through them. He looked at her like that often, even more so as of late, and she could not deny that she enjoyed the effect she had on him. Feeling desired was probably every woman's secret thrill, reflected the blonde. For once, it didn't feel anti-feminist to feel like that. It felt _glorious_ , actually. She'd always been indifferent to men's attentions, uncaring. But with Wheeler, it was turning into a neat little game she could not help but enjoy, especially as their feelings for each other grew more deep. It was becoming very easy lately getting completely lost in his kisses or his warm caresses on her bare skin, not to mention craving the gestures intensely whenever they got separated somehow. Thankfully, the American understood and respected her need not to be rushed into anything. Linka was like a sunflower, slowly basking in his warm attentions, but not fully his yet. She knew it was only a matter of time before he would claim her completely because she herself craved more of him as time went on. He wasn't all jokes and gratuitous lounging when they were alone together. Wheeler could be serious and sweet and vulnerable when it was just the two of them, holding each other, and that really warmed her heart. The fact that he trusted her enough to be himself was touching, and she had let her guard down around him, as well, as a result. Linka had learned to be more relaxed and carefree in private, and she loved that he laughed at her jokes and found her funny. It energized her, made her feel like a robin at springtime, ready to take on anything.

"Do you want help drying your hair?" asked Wheeler, already reaching for the hair dryer on the shelf beside the mirror. His tone was bathed in quiet kindness, and Linka nearly cried for the second time that evening. She wasn't sure what was wrong with her. She felt like there was a damn waterfall inside her, bubbling up, all of a sudden. It was just immense relief, and gratitude, that washed over her, and she decided that being overly tired was turning her into a mushy, tearful baby. Wheeler's little ministrations were making her feel loved and protected, and even she wasn't stoic enough to overlook the majesty of that sentiment.

Linka nodded without speaking, for fear she would actually spill some tears and then feel mortified as a consequence. Even though she had opened up to Wheeler considerably in the last few months, she had yet to cry in front of him, and she doubted she would anytime soon. It was just that she was very averse to tears. Some people were intolerant to gluten, others to milk products; Linka felt very sensitive around crying. She was sure Wheeler could relate, since he never even slightly teared up for something like excruciatingly sad movies. Maybe overcoming so many struggles in life left the well kinda dry, she mused. All cried out, no more to give. Neither one of them was excellent at externalizing their feelings, but showing physical affection had never been a problem for Wheeler. He was the first to take her hand or stroke her cheek or kiss her in public, and Linka was slowly learning how to follow his lead. It did not come as natural to her as it did to him, and she knew it had to do with how warm of a person Wheeler was. Plus, he'd always been a lot more confident than she was to begin with. Her quest to show him she cared was a work-in-progress for her, but Linka was glad to know that she'd come a long way. Publically, she was a great deal less shy about being tied with him, and in private, well, she was doing her best to break down her walls, piece by stubborn piece.

Linka closed her eyes at Wheeler's gentle touches on her head. The hot hair was blissfully soothing as it travelled to her hair and over her neck. The Russian girl felt extremely sleepy, lulled by comfort, but she forced herself to open her eyes slightly. Surely, the bathroom was no place for a nap, and she concentrated on Wheeler's reflection in the mirror, instead. He was focused on the task at hand, his face a mask of concentration as he moved the dryer over her golden tresses, and she felt a softness for him that invaded her core. Only the Yankee would offer to do such a thing when they were both beyond exhausted. She shouldn't be too surprised, either. Wheeler was selfless when it came to helping out, far exceeding her own efforts. She studied the firm line of his lips and nose, the soft red hair that brushed his forehead, and felt admiration towards him. Wheeler did the majority of the physical work involved on missions. He was the one most likely to haul things or people over his shoulders, move heavy objects, dig things out of every situation, or fix mechanical equipment. Linka would often be caught staring at his strong physique as he worked; in those instances, she would remind herself that she could _freely_ admire him now that they were a couple, and this would fill her with secret delight. She was partial to watching his toned arms flexing, the well-defined shape of his shoulders as the muscles shifted this way and that…

Linka bit her lip to keep the flow of her thoughts under control. She was trudging on inappropriate territory. It was really not the place, and definitely not the time, for little fantasies like that. It was _way_ past bed time, in fact. Like a couple of days overdue, actually.

It took Wheeler considerably less time to dry her hair than it would have taken her to do it herself, and Linka was eternally grateful, since the next step would be sleep. Amazing, warm, seductive _sleep_ … her mind was already filled with its luxuriousness. She had never been happier to simply sleep, it was ridiculous!

Wheeler turned her around to face him, running his hand through her hair before gathering it and placing it delicately behind one shoulder. Linka blinked up at him, resting one hand on his forearm as the movement brought them closer together.

"There, all done," the American beamed down at her proudly, and she smiled back with genuine undertones.

" _Spasiba_."

Wheeler leaned his head down to capture her lips in a brief but tender kiss. The fresh scent of shaving gel on his skin clouded Linka's mind, and without fully realizing it, a content sigh escaped her lips. Another thing she was _very_ partial to was the way Wheeler kissed her. It was… well, near damn the most fantastic thing she had ever experienced. She could not help but feel like an idiot for even thinking it, but to her, his kisses tasted like romance. Something like roses and clouds and teddy bears. Linka had always deemed people who described such things as utter fools, and now she had become one of them. Airy-fairy, romantic saps, she had once snickered, before joining their team. She knew she would simply die if someone acquired the ability to read her mind. It was so silly to have those thoughts! But anytime Wheeler's mouth was on hers, the delicious heat of it, the way he always found a way to coax a response out of her… well, it was safe to say she turned to putty in those instances. Useless, glorious putty. God, the Yankee was dangerous. _Lethal_. Linka felt completely _out of control_ when he kissed her. Her mind became like a swamp, murky and messy, and logical thoughts were nowhere to be found. It was all goose bumps and warm shivers, butterflies in her stomach and the aching desire for more…

"Wanna crash here with me tonight?" Wheeler was asking in a low tone of voice that played havoc with all her senses. How could she find the strength to resist such a proposal when her reservoir of energy and logic was completely gone? The mere thought of heading back to her own hut seemed like an impossible task, it would no doubt take superhuman strength. And it was so cozy and warm here already, the bed was enticingly close, and sleeping inside Wheeler's arms was exactly what she wanted right now. Like a soft, dreamy blanket of love enveloping her. Was it crazy, was it wrong? They hadn't really slept in the same bed yet, just little naps on the couch here and there, for example, after watching a film together. _That_ boundary had yet to be crossed; it was a hazy boundary, really, and Linka often thought more about it than she probably should. It was just _easy_ to find herself on that mined territory with Wheeler, although, never as alarming as she had initially assumed it would be. Being all wrapped up with her Yankee was more amazing than she could ever voice aloud.

Linka blinked up at him, thinking that it really didn't have to mean anything was progressing between them. They were both just seeking comfort from the brutal days gone by, and it wasn't going to lead anywhere… _saucy_. Plus, over-thinking things like she was currently doing was not helping her poor, frayed brain at the moment.

She nodded wordlessly again, closing her eyes against the emotions threatening to explode inside. Who knew that being so tired would make her so emotional all of a sudden? She felt like an out of control volcano, ready to erupt with its many layers of lava. A feeling she was definitely not used to. But if she was heading for a meltdown, she was glad that at least it was in Wheeler's presence, the one person she trusted completely.

Linka heard Wheeler chuckle a little and the next thing she knew, he had lifted her up in arms, cradling her against his chest as he made his way out of the bathroom. For once, the tried blonde girl did not object in the slightest.

"Let's get to it before you fall asleep on your feet, babe," Wheeler murmured close to her ear, amused, and she could not help but feel like a satisfied child who was being held warm and close. The bad things of the world could no longer touch her, and she sighed, content at the sensation of feeling protected and cared for. Her Yankee was very good at that, often acting as her own personal hero.

With great care, the redhead placed her on one side of his large bed, and Linka unconsciously reached for him, arms outstretched, when he made to move. Through heavy-lidded eyes, she watched as he took off his shirt before crawling in next to her. Wheeler pulled the blankets over their bodies, before taking Linka in his arms so that the two of them were crushed together, tangled comfortably in one another.

Linka realized she was smiling. Her head was positioned on his chest and her hair sprawled neatly all over his upper body; her muscles finally began to relax little by little. Wheeler was rubbing her back with soothing motions, his fingers working magic on her tense shoulders and neck. The blessed boy!

Blinking the sleep away so that she could enjoy his touch a while longer, Linka suddenly became very aware that she wasn't wearing anything under the borrowed T-shirt. _Nothing_ , not even one tiny piece of flimsy undergarment to safeguard her modesty. So, technically, not considering the now-too-short shirt she was donning and Wheeler's boxers, it was like they were stark naked against one another.

Linka had never been so thankful for darkness before. Blessed, _discreet_ darkness that covered all. At least, her blushing cheeks would go unnoticed this way. But hell, the Russian girl couldn't fool herself and say that it wasn't nice sharing such an intimate embrace. She could feel the strong muscles on Wheeler's arms about her, holding her in place, his regular breathing against her forehead, the beating of his heart synchronized with her own. Linka had to admit that it was pretty damn amazing. Definitely something to write home about, along the lines of "Dear so-and-so, guess _what_? I'm eternally, ridiculously in love! _Tee hee_!".

The blonde beauty stifled a giggle at her thoughts and rubbed her cheek against Wheeler's solid chest, instead. Yes, she could definitely get used to sleeping like this, it was a hundred times better than the cold, lonely, dull bed that awaited her in her hut. She still didn't know how Wheeler had managed to get a double bed when the rest of them all had singles, and attributed it to some sort of charm he'd worked on Gaia. The New Yorker was pretty damn convincing when he wanted to be, and the worse thing was that he was fully aware of it.

"Are you very tired, baby?" Wheeler whispered to her, his warm breath on her neck causing her to shiver lightly. His syrupy tone, mixed with the feathery strokes on her skin, were like filling up on cuddles after running on empty for a while. The sweetness of it was newly making Linka's eyes tear up, and she bit her lip to get herself in line before answering.

"I did not want to say anything in front of the others, but the thought of crying did enter my mind when we took on the last mission. I could not believe it was _still_ not over. I think my body was considering going on strike!"

She saw Wheeler's features harden in the dark, his bottom lip jutting out a little like it always did when he was considering something carefully.

"You should have said something. I wanted to suggest that at least you and Gi sit that one out, but then I didn't want to deal with the feminist wrath that would surely come my way."

Linka gave a little chuckle. Yep, he knew the two female members well! They prided themselves on being as tough as the boys. Wheeler shrugged a little before continuing.

"Hell, I'm fine with being a chauvinist pig if it means that I don't think girls should have to do _that_ amount of work. It's just insane! I'm sure one of us _guys_ would have ended up cryin' had there been another mission."

"So, Gi and I should have stayed on the Island cooking and cleaning, whilst awaiting our soldiers' noble return?" Linka could not help but take a jab, but not really minding his words. She understood what Wheeler was saying; it wasn't a question of being sexist, it was just concern over their well being. All the same, she loved teasing him, and giggled when he groaned aloud.

"No! I just meant that girls should be cherished and revered. Y'know, the old princess treatment."

Linka could not help the smile that spread on her face as she lifted her head to meet his eyes. His words rang true and passionate, and she liked the nature of his thoughts. The American was noble-spirited like that, and his values were all in the right places. Despite his upbringing, or perhaps due to it, he was often sensitive to a lot of matters they encountered. Maybe his unfortunate family situation had taught him what to avoid in life. All in all, Linka found that when she encouraged him to explain himself and open up, Wheeler was really a very decent guy. And when it came to her, especially, he was an incredible softie. She could not deny she loved his little attentions.

She moved her lips over his softly in a brief kiss, before sighing and resting her head in the crook of his neck once more.

"But seriously… do you think we should talk to Gaia? I do not know how much good any of us are in these conditions. I am not one to complain, but lately the Eco-emergencies are just… _unmanageable_."

Wheeler took to tracing patters on her arm and echoed her previous sigh.

"It feels like ages ago that we had a day to just chill on the beach. Or sleep in. Man, I miss that."

"Or read a good novel," Linka piped up, her tone whimsical.

"Maybe Gaia needs to recruit some other Planeteers," volunteered Wheeler. "You know, like shift work."

"Uhmm, you just want to see if any cute girls make the team," Linka rebutted, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. She wasn't sure why she found such pleasure in tormenting him, then wondered if it was reassurance she was actually seeking. It wasn't hard for her to fall into the trap of jealousy when he was concerned. Her own insecurities fed into that, but mainly, it was Wheeler's charming nature and women's response to him that did it. Girls loved to check him out, and whenever he flashed them that confident smile of his, the girls in question would promptly lose I.Q. points at the speed of light, blushing and giggling irritably, making a spectacle of themselves. A real collective embarrassment for the female species, thought Linka, choosing to ignore that _she_ had acted like that in front of Wheeler, especially recently. _Well, you are entitled to it, since he is yours_ , a little satisfied voice remarked in her head, hushing all other arguments inside her.

"Nah, I already got my cute girl," Wheeler whispered with a little chuckle in her ear, and Linka hid her face in his shoulder to keep him from seeing the grin on her face. A moment, and Wheeler shifted their position so that he was hovering over her, seeking out her eyes. Linka's heartbeat picked up its beating automatically as his face came closer to hers.

"Besides, with my luck, Gaia would choose a guy. You know, some cultured shmuck who works out, maybe a swimmer. Oh, and he'd probably have a British accent and write poetry in his spare time, when he's not baking scones, that is."

Linka laughed heartily, her body shaking with the movement.

" _Bozhe moi_ , Jacob, what nonsense!"

The Russian girl smiled delicately up at him, linking her arms around his neck in order to bring him closer. His eyes dwelled into hers even in the darkness, and she ran a hand through his hair affectionately.

"Besides, you know I prefer Yankee accents," Linka teased with a little smile, and it was his turn to laugh.

"And I happen to think you are just as fit as a swimmer. Oh, and I have heard you making up lyrics when you are playing your guitar, so that is kind of like poetry. As for baking… _nyet_ , you are hopeless at that!"

The young pair laughed together, comfortable with each other and their proximity. And when Wheeler leaned in to kiss her, Linka readily offered her lips to him, and soon, she could no longer say she felt tired. Instead, a glorious energy took a hold of her, igniting her core, and she recognized it as desire. She guided Wheeler closer, his body now pressed up into hers, and soon they were lost in each other. The Russian girl's thoughts were gone with the wind as the American all but entranced her, his lips moving freely over her cheeks, neck and collarbone. Readily, she was producing purring sounds, all but cheering him on. _God_ , he was good at that, and soon Linka was craving his hands on her skin like she was doing with him.

"Babe," Wheeler was breathing unevenly, and she heard the warning in his voice. It had come out as a plea, almost. But she chose to fully bypass it, and pulled him down for a deep kiss. Linka was not sure what was different about that night, but all she knew was that she was sick and tired of inhibitions and fears, limits and buffers. Something was awakening inside her. It was inevitable; they were both falling fast.

Linka did not allow for any more words to be spoken. Instead, she ushered in a new form of communication between them, following Wheeler's lead. And so far, it was _incredibly, splendidly_ , _fantastically_ magic.

* * *

A/N: Love it, hate it, just let me know how I'm doing so far! And thanks for reading, as always. Quiz time! Anyone that can tell me where the first part of the title of this fic comes from, you get my "awesome/epic" award of the year (come on, there's gotta be at least _one_ person out there that remembers 2Gether! You know, early 2000's, MTV parody? Anyone? Please?) *crickets chirping* All right, then! Moving riiiight along…


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – Winding Roads

 _And all the roads we have to walk are winding,_

 _And all the lights that lead us there are blinding_

"Wonderwall" – Oasis, from _What's the Story, Morning Glory?_

Linka felt the bright light on her face even before opening her eyes. As anticipated, the curtains had not been pulled shut the night before, and glorious sunshine was pouring in through the room. She blinked, scanning her surroundings groggily. Piles of clothes were littering the floors and sneakers were thrown about, mismatched. _Definitely_ not her room, she thought, blinking again. It was also strange that the sun was so high up in the sky. Usually, she would be up at dawn to jog around the Island as a workout, but her muscles felt sore as if she'd already exercised today.

The blonde girl tried to switch position, but her body was locked in place. It took her a moment still to realize that Wheeler was circling her waist from behind, her back against his solid chest. His breathing was rhythmic against the back of her neck, and a little sigh escaped her lips before realizing it. It suddenly hit her like a summer storm that she was comfortable and _happy_. She moved the blanket aside, her smile fading when she looked down at her body intertwined intricately with Wheeler's. She was also very _naked_. Her face felt on fire as she took in this new detail, and she turned the information over in her mind. _What happened last night… last night…_ _oh, God_! A gate opened and memories came flooding through, one by one, bringing the blush on her cheeks to unimaginable shades. Linka's mouth felt dry as she silently relived every touch, every kiss she had shared with the Yankee. She waited to feel anything other than the perfect happiness she was experiencing. Nope, just sheer joy so far. And she was very, very sure Wheeler had enjoyed himself as well.

Even though no one was able to see her, she covered the big smile on her face with one hand, as if wanting to relish the secret a bit longer. Okay, so they hadn't planned on making love (it definitely hadn't been simply _having sex_ , for Linka could recall every strong emotion behind every little gesture and glance), but she had the right to be spontaneous every once in a while, right? It's not like she had to be vigilant about every single thing that went on in her life. She could go with the flow. _Yeah_. And that's what she'd done last night. Emotions and needs had transported her far away, to the land were logic was an unwelcomed guest. It still felt strange to Linka, new, but she could not say she regretted anything that had happened. What had been generated between them had been genuine, authentic; it had felt natural and incredibly _good_.

Linka shook her head and disentangled herself from Wheeler gently. She could not explain the slight sense of embarrassment she felt in being naked in his arms, in his bed, and she dealt with it the best way she knew how. She got up and paced around the room, throwing furtive glances at Wheeler, who continued to sleep undisturbed. Now that her brain was fully awake, she felt nervous. Running a hand through her disheveled hair, she drew a deep breath and tried to think of those girlie quizzes Gi often forced her to take on those ludicrous magazines, hoping for a standard answer on how to proceed.

 _You just spent an amazing night of L-O-V-E with your boyfriend, your first one together. It's the morning after. You:_

 _a) jump his bones and see if he's up for Round 2_

 _b) get online ASAP to change your status – there must be something on there about gettin' lucky last night. Everyone must know!_

 _c) fret and worry about where you "are" now in your relationship_

Linka cringed. _C_ , _definitely_ option _C_.

The still naked girl ran to the bathroom, and turning on the shower to its highest setting, she jumped in, hoping that the water would soothe her racing thoughts. Linka let the jet run down her face, closing her eyes against the mixed feelings raging on inside her. She knew she was just freaking herself out, she was _very_ good at that. A pro, really. The first time Wheeler had kissed her, she'd become a nervous wreck. They had been out to see a movie, and when the American had leaned in to give her a casual kiss on the lips, she had become frozen for the duration of the movie. She had not paid any attention to what was happening on the big screen and she had not shifted position for the 90 minutes of the film, sitting rigidly as a statue, except to blink. She had actually jumped when Wheeler had taken her hand to help her stand at the end of the film.

The blonde girl sighed, wishing she could be as carefree as other girls in her situation. It wasn't always fun to be so intense about everything, and she figured it was part of the reason why she felt so attracted to Wheeler. His spontaneity and relaxed attitude seemed like such a _treat_ , a breath of fresh air. It was rare that anything affected him too deeply; his mind must be so wonderfully _empty_ , unlike hers, which felt like an attic filled to the brim with old relics.

When the shower door opened, Linka was so lost in her preoccupations she did not take note. And when a pair of arms circled her from behind, she actually screamed.

"Chill, babe!" Wheeler was laughing in her ear, holding her wet body against his. "Someone's watched _Psycho_ one too many times!"

Linka smacked his arm and took in a deep breath to calm her beat-boxing heart. The blood was rushing in her ears at the speed of light.

"You scared me, Yankee!"

She had tried to channel annoyance through her comment, but it hadn't worked. Her brain was slowly losing common sense once she fully realized that Wheeler's hard body was pressed up against hers. _All muscles and desire and…_ Linka bit her bottom lip and kept her eyes straight ahead, urging herself to read the instructions on the shampoo bottle in order to calm down. Some good old ' _Lather, rinse, and repeat if necessary'_ would still her crazed breathing, _yeah_. Why did they need to keep printing that on the bottles, anyway? Was there anyone in the civilized world that did _not_ know how to use shampoo? It was such a waste of ink, and she hated waste!

Those ludicrous thoughts fled from her mind like birds from a tree when Wheeler's lips moved against her neck. She closed her eyes and instinctively leaned into him a little. It should be illegal for him to elicit attention that way; he should be put away for a long time, really.

"Well, you scared _me_ when I woke up and didn't find you next to me," Wheeler whispered in her ear, his hands moving up the curve of her hips, slowly tracing her shape. "You're kinda prone to fleeing, babe."

"I am _not_!" Linka felt the need to reply, indignantly, but bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smirking. He was totally right, of course, but she did not want to give him the satisfaction of knowing that she knew that.

She sighed once she fully realized how it had looked from his point of view. _Bad_ , that's how. Wheeler had expected to find her in his arms, cooing and giggling about what had happened between them last night. Instead, he'd woken up to a cold, empty bed, and probably panicked about what she was thinking. It _had_ taken a ridiculous amount of time for him to get her to admit that she, indeed, had feelings for him, just like he did for her. She certainly could not blame Wheeler for still being a little touchy about that.

"I am so sorry," Linka replied so quietly she hoped the jet of the water had not washed away her words. Guilty as hell was how she was feeling. She turned her head so that she could meet his eyes briefly, and was surprised to see no traces of anger or disappointment there. There was only something like immense love reflected in Wheeler's eyes, and she bit her lip again for being so foolish. He was looking at her like she was the greatest treasure ever discovered. Leave it to her to ruin everything.

"Just tell me you don't regret anything that happened, Linka," Wheeler nearly pleaded, and his tone came close to leaving a crack in her heart.

Linka called on all her courage and, slowly, she turned around in his arms. Her breasts were crushed against his strong chest as the water fell over them both, and she blinked her green eyes up at him.

"Of course not," she shook her head a little, her voice infused with truth, and Wheeler gently gripped her chin in his hand before kissing her lips.

"So last night was… _okay_?" The apprehension in his voice was still present, and Linka wished she could smack herself for thinking earlier that Wheeler had no cares in the world. It seemed that _she_ gave him lots to mull over and worry about! Surely, she drove him nuts with her crazy moods! Of course, _she_ would be the one to break his carefree streak!

"Last night was not _okay_ , it was… _wonderful_." The Russian girl could not believe she had found the nerve to express herself so truthfully and freely! Usually, she was painfully more guarded than that. Oh, but it was _so_ worth it to see that grin spreading over Wheeler's face. In that moment, she realized there was no reason to _not_ be happy. It was easy like breathing, and only a fool would obstruct it. And her Grandmother had raised no fool!

Linka's will wavered and her thoughts melted when Wheeler's mouth captured hers in a deeply passionate kiss. Their bodies became welded together, possessed by desire, and she moaned as his hands caressed her in all the right places. She surprised herself by returning his gestures, feeling exceedingly sure of herself, and everything that followed was wonderfully dream-like.

But the woman was still a Planeteer, and she did not forget to turn off the water as they made love languidly in the shower.

* * *

A month and some days went by. It had been a blissful month. Gaia had thankfully started to perceive that the caseload she was dishing out was too heavy for her young Planeteers to take on. Therefore, the missions had been more evenly distributed, with some days intended for relaxation here and there. The five friends devoted some time to the beach, or in the case of Linka and Wheeler, to get better reacquainted with their huts. The indoors were suddenly very interesting to the young lovers.

Linka hadn't yet told Gi about the developments in her relationship with Wheeler, plus it was great fun sneaking around. The Russian girl wanted to guard her intimate secret a little longer, a little closer, before talking about it with anyone. Gi had recently told the young couple how in love they seemed, but that had been the extent of her observations.

Linka was pretty damn ecstatic about her relationship with the Yankee, in fact. They were in a grand place. Wheeler made time to listen to her and open up about a lot of things, and she softened considerably around him, putting to good use her sense of humor. They understood each other like never before. Physically speaking, there was incredible chemistry between them. Like, _wow_. Linka often caught herself smiling absentmindedly at the recollection of their bedroom antics. No amount of cheesy quizzes could have prepared her for that kind of loving! Not to mention the sappy, sweet ways her Yankee was acquiring when it came to her. It secretly pleased her to no end. Just the day before, Wheeler had made it a rule between them that they should never end a day without saying "I love you" first. Linka did, in fact, feel very much adored and cherished those days. Giving them a chance as a couple had been the best decision she had made in her young life thus far.

So what could possibly rain on this happy parade? Virtually nothing. But, a little rain cloud had taken residence inside Linka's brain since seeing Gi in the morning. The boys were out servicing the vehicles, while the girls were left with the task of writing up the monthly reports of their activities. Linka had taken a little break from the computer work and started on laundry, when Gi had popped her head in to ask for some tampons. The Asian girl's face had looked anything but sunny. It was a known fact that she became a bit of a tigress when on her period. Linka had told her friend where she could find some in her room, and Gi had nodded her thanks before wandering off.

From that moment on, an annoying little seed of doubt began to plague the blonde girl. She could not remember the last time she had had her period. Somehow, it seemed like a long time ago, considering that hers took place once every three weeks. Punctual like a Swiss watch. It had been like that since the beginning. If she wanted to, she could joke that even her period was _anal_ , ha-ha. Although, Linka did not feel like laughing at the moment. Instead, she checked the little calendar in her room to be sure she wasn't delusional, and her hands shook when she discovered she was exactly seven days late. It might as well have been a month! Never had it been so late before! Now was the time to think " _bozhe moi_ "!

Linka took a deep breath and sat down on her bed, while reminding herself calmly that panicking wasn't going to lead anywhere. She breathed deeply through her mouth and was surprised when her hand rested on top of her flat stomach. A delicate gesture. She shook her head to clear it. No, there had to be a logical explanation behind the madness. There just _had_ to be an explanation.

* * *

"There has to be an explanation," Wheeler readily concurred when she pulled him aside after dinner. They were in her hut, leaving the others to clean up after Ma-Ti had served them his legendary homemade _empanadas_. Linka had not been able to really enjoy them, worried as she was, and Wheeler had readily took note that she wasn't eating. Her brain was overfilled with all kinds of crazy thoughts.

Wheeler mimicked her actions and sat beside her on the bed. He took her hand in his, holding it firmly, and that little gesture made her feel a lot less alone.

"You don't think…? I mean, we're being careful," the redhead offered, running a hand quickly through his hair as if to clear his thoughts.

"We were not so careful the first time," Linka voiced in a tiny voice, avoiding his eyes. "Nor the second time."

The finality of her words hit home, and they both sat in silence for what seemed to Linka endless minutes. She tried to steal peeks at Wheeler under her eyelashes, in order to decipher his facial expression, but it was so neutral she deduced next to nothing.

"Should you go to the doctor's, then? Get some tests done or something?" Wheeler nodded, a little to himself, before turning to her. She could tell he knew _not_ how to proceed. It was surely uncharted territory for him.

"That is probably a good idea," Linka replied robotically, not knowing how to make sense of her thoughts. So, there was a chance that she might be…

She shook her head to clear it, not intending to fully run the sentence through. It was too much for her twenty-year-old brain to work through. And it was probably too much for Wheeler's twenty-two-year-old brain to _accept_. For God's sake, he still held burping contests with Ma-Ti and was proud of it!

Wheeler surprised her yet again, however, when he lovingly wrapped an arm about her shoulders and pulled her closer. His touch was reassuring, warm like always. She was not sure why she had almost expected an angrier reaction from him.

"Don't worry, babe. It's probably a false alarm. Doesn't this stuff happen to girls, like, all the time?"

Linka wanted to reply that it didn't happen to _her_ , but she chose to remain quiet. She rested her head on Wheeler's shoulder and closed her eyes. She was not sure what to think anymore. Nor did she want to frighten him, alarm him, or drive him away somehow. She knew Wheeler was a better man than that, but she was insanely scared. Of losing what they had, of losing _him_. It would be too much for her to bear. If she were a newspaper article right now, the headline would read: " _Stoic Russian girl has a weak spot!_ ". Quite the scoop, really! It was Wheeler, their love had become her _raison d'être_.

Fear paralyzed Linka and rendered her useless for the remainder of the night.


	3. Chapter 3

(A/N: **Nina Gatsby** , I dedicate this chapter to you, my dear! Thank you for the lovely reviews, they mean a lot! I always wondered how either one of the Planeteer girls would deal with a pregnancy given the nature of their job, and so I decided to delve into that with Linka, since she and Wheeler are one of my fave couples of all time! I'm glad you are enjoying the soundtrack, too, I can't write without music in the background! I do believe there is great quality music out there today, as well, you just gotta look for it :P But nothing beats the classics! Hope you enjoy the rest, let me know what you think! :)

Chapter 3 – As the Dust Settles

 _We were caught up and lost in all of our vices_

 _In your pose as the dust settled around us_

"Pompeii" – Bastille, from _Bad Blood_

Sure, living on a tropical, magical Island was great, but it wasn't the most practical thing in the world. At some point, you had to get out there and do your business as a human, so Gaia had a two bedroom apartment set up for the Planeteers in Washington, DC, near Parliament Hill. They would often go there to tend to the more bureaucratic nature of Planeteer work, and it acted as a second home to the team. Anything medical that needed resolve would also get looked after in Washington. Like the one time Gi sprained her ankle trying out new tricks on her surfboard. Or when Wheeler had the bright idea of sleeping under the hot sun all day, effectively getting heat stroke.

When Linka walked into the gynecologist's office, she became paranoid that everyone present could tell she was pregnant. So she sucked in her already flat stomach and pulled down the baseball cap she was wearing over her eyes. She still wasn't sure why she had opted for a disguise, of sorts. It was inevitable that she tried to walk as gracefully as possible when her turn for her visit came up. Just like a model. Models couldn't be pregnant! Her glance met that of a woman with a very round belly, sitting uncomfortably in a plastic chair nearby, and Linka gulped the bout of anxiety down her esophagus. _Just breathe_ , she instructed herself, calmly. _In and out, in and out…_ crap, what the hell was she _doing_? Practicing her breathing techniques for labor? _Gah_!

Naturally, Linka had forbidden Wheeler to come up with her to the office. That would be a tell-tale sign of her "with child" condition. It wouldn't do. No sane man would ever sit in a gynecologist's waiting area unless there was a fatally important reason. Besides, she was _fine_. Everything was just peachy. It would be get in, spread your legs, get out. Nothing to it!

Except that when Linka entered the office, closing the door softly behind her, she felt all air in her lungs disappearing. The place resembled an interrogation cell to her. The Russian girl collapsed on a chair facing the woman in the white lab coat, and the bulky doctor looked up at her over pretty pink frames. She was imposing, to say the least, but her face was not unfriendly.

Then, the interrogation began. Linka wanted to die at each one of the questions asked. She knew they were standard questions tied to the sphere of gynecology, but being the private person she was, it quickly turned into one of the most unpleasant ordeals she had ever faced. Not to mention the speed at which the questions came. It was like dodging _The_ _Riddler_ , for crying out loud! Linka felt like she was being grilled worse than a hamburger patty at a family barbeque.

 _("Nice to meet you, Linka. I'm doctor Lisa Wiley. Let's begin. Any problems you want to tell me about?"_

" _No…"_

" _Great. Are you sexually active?"_

" _Y-yes…"_

" _Any problems there?"_

" _No."_

" _Great. I am assuming you are using some form of contraception?"_

" _Uhm, yes, condoms…_

" _Great. How's that working out for you?"_

" _Uhm, fine…"_

" _Great. Last monthly period?"_

" _June 7_ _th_ _."_

" _Oh. [pause] Is your period sometimes late?"_

" _N-no."_

" _Okay. Let's have a look.")_

* * *

Linka blinked her eyes against the bright sunlight as she came down the few steps of the medical building. She could think of nothing outside what had happened inside Dr. Wiley's office. Her mind was a strange combination of empty and full. She had never felt like this before. As if in a daze, a dream, onstage performing as she watched from the first row.

The ultrasound, which showed nothing but fuzzy gray and white spaces wildly distributed to the untrained eye, had confirmed that she was, indeed, pregnant. _Six weeks_. Unknowingly, Linka's body had morphed into a host for a tiny being for the duration of that time. Her hand rubbed over her stomach gently, wondering if she had done anything in those weeks to harm it. Lots of things that seemed innocuous made the list, and she cringed. Running, not getting enough sleep, and you know, breathing in toxins and sorting through possibly hazardous materials in her line of work. She wouldn't get nominated for the best "early" mother award, that was for sure.

The keeper of the wind ring stopped her aimless walk when she noticed Wheeler sitting on a bench by a small fountain, waiting for her. There was a little makeshift "park" area close to the medical building, but the benches were empty in those mid-morning hours. The redhead was leaning forward in his seat, seeming deep in thought. Miles away. Linka could tell he was nervous by the way he kept fidgeting with his fingers while jiggling his foot up and down. He seemed very young to her then.

Linka took in a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. Her task seemed monumental in that instant, and for a fraction of a second, she panicked. Like real panic. Her words were going to change Wheeler's young life forever, just as hers had been altered moments ago. She was no longer the same Linka. But if she had to be honest with herself, she could detect no traces of sadness within herself; it was mostly fear for how things were going to play out. Confusion. Shock. The rest she could not make out; it was like everything was happening on the spin cycle, round and round and round it went.

Wordlessly, she took place beside Wheeler, who nearly jumped with the motion.

"Babe!" the surprise in his tone caused his voice to come out higher, and a little bird who was sitting by the fountain jumped before flying away at the offensive sound.

Finally, Linka let her eyes meet his. They looked at each other for a fraction of a second, but it could have been five whole minutes to Linka, who was understandably having problems with space/time that day.

Neither of them was speaking, but she could see the pressing query in Wheeler's eyes, the most imperative one, and with a small breath, she nodded her head yes, slowly. Wheeler's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. His expression could have been wildly entertaining had it not been for the current situation they were facing.

Linka heard his sharp intake of breath, and after a moment's pause, he tried his voice again.

"You're… you're…"

The shock in his voice had paralyzed his logic, apparently. Linka folded her hands in her lap, neatly and uselessly.

"Pregnant," she whispered, finishing his sentence for him, trying out the word for the first time. She began to worry once she noticed that Wheeler's ability to speak still hadn't returned. He was probably horrified, Linka guessed, her shoulders slumping as she played with her Planeteer ring in order to keep the tremble in her hands under control. When she had anticipated Wheeler's reaction, she hadn't been sure what to picture, actually. Linka knew he loved her, but he was probably light years away from planning a future with her. Marriage, children, well, they weren't things she usually associated with the carefree American. Sure, _someday_ maybe, but definitely not at this stage in his life. Wheeler was young and he enjoyed his freedom, made good use of it.

Linka blinked back what was threatening to come waltzing out, and she took a deep breath. She tried telling herself now was not the time for emotions, but to be logical and practical. She studied her hands and avoided Wheeler's eyes, for fear of what she would see there. Now was the time to speak like _adults_ and put the rest aside.

"We have… options, of course," the blonde girl tried to inject her tone with as much maturity as possible, cutting out any emotionality that might get in the way. If Wheeler wanted nothing to do with this situation, then they would have to make a choice together about how to proceed. It wouldn't be fair of her to pressure him into things he was obviously not ready for.

" _Options_?" Wheeler's tone was laced with confusion, robotic almost, as he mirrored the vague word back at her.

"We could consider… adoption, for example," Linka bravely put out there, and it felt like her heart was breaking in different parts as the words came out. But this child was only 50% hers, mathematically speaking, and she couldn't decide for its future alone. Linka bit her lip and examined her hands closer, praying for strength. What she was going to say next was a million times worse, and she wondered if she could actually vocalize it.

"Or…"

"I don't even wanna _hear_ you say the other option, let alone consider it, " Wheeler cut her off instantly, and the strength of his tone caused the Russian girl's head to snap up. His jaw was set in a firm line and he let his eyes meet hers. Linka was filled with relief at his words. She already knew that ending the pregnancy was something she would never be able to do. They really had no right to end what fate had created, anyway.

Wheeler took her hand, and she watched as their hands linked together. Hers was small and felt cold in his warm one. Wheeler was gently lifting her chin upwards with his fingers, effectively forcing her eyes on his. He cleared his throat a little, and attempted speaking once more.

"Isn't there an option where we… I don't know, raise the baby together? I mean, is that…? What do you think? I know this is probably not how you would have planned things, but… I don't know, I just wanna do the right thing."

Wheeler's eyes were beautifully transparent and Linka felt moved by his words. She blinked up at him and shook her head a little.

"Jacob, I do not want you to feel pressured to do anything you do not feel like doing. I mean, I am scared and still in shock, so maybe I am not thinking clearly right now… I do not know…"

"All I know is I love you," Wheeler remarked, effectively shutting her up with a kiss. Linka softened and allowed her lips to return his gesture. Everything inside stilled for a moment and things didn't feel blurry.

Wheeler sighed a little and cupped her face in both his hands. "Linka, I know you don't see me as responsible enough, or mature enough, but you're all I've ever wanted since the day I met you. I'm ready to show you that I'm capable of taking care of you… if you have faith in me? I mean, I'm not gonna lie and say I'm not freaked out. A baby is a big step. But then I think, nothing that was conceived in _such_ love can be _that_ scary, and so I want us to do this, babe. Together, you an' me."

Something broke inside her at his speech, and tears started rolling down her cheeks faster than Linka could wipe them away. She felt more like laughing and throwing her arms about him, but her body was receiving the inputs from her heart all wrong. It was like there was a virus in her software.

"Baby, don't cry," Wheeler fretted, interpreting her release all wrong as he dried the saline streaks down her face. There was pure desperation in his eyes at her reaction, and Linka knew in that instant that this boy would readily jump off a cliff for her. No doubts about it.

Still crying, she threw her arms around his neck and sought out his mouth, kissing him for all she was worth. She could taste a little of the saltiness of her tears in the kiss and a lot of Wheeler's love. The Russian girl was aware that it wouldn't be all sunshine and roses or a walk in the park, but knowing that Wheeler would stand beside her made everything more bearable, lighter somehow. They could prevail. It hadn't been planned, sure, having a child so early on in life, but it did not have to be such a catastrophe. If they took it on with the right attitude, half the battle was already won.

Linka was breathless but a lot less anxious one Wheeler had finished thoroughly returning her kisses. Her heart was beating crazily still, but for different reasons now.

"So, we're gonna have a baby?" Wheeler whispered with a sweet smile, carefully examining her reaction as if his life depended on it.

" _Da_ ," Linka nodded with a smile of her own, gently stroking his cheek.

"And you're happy, babe? You won't regret it in five, ten years from now? I know you wanted a chance to pick up school again…"

"It does not mean that I cannot do that later on," Linka shrugged, surprising herself with her reasoning. Now that she was sure Wheeler was on board, she was feeling less afraid to face parenthood. It did not have to be something that limited her future; many people were able to accomplish so much while raising young children. She would manage somehow, _they_ would make it through.

She kissed him briefly to reassure him further, then smiled a little before speaking again.

"You know, Yankee, a baby is a lot of work. You will not be able to play videogames all day and sleep all night, or play your music too loud, or…"

Wheeler's laughter interrupted her "loving" speech. "Hey, you tryin' to change my mind?"

" _Nyet_. I just want to make sure you know what you are getting yourself into. I do not want you to have any regrets later on, either."

"I'll be fine as long as you're patient with me," Wheeler revealed with a precious little smile she could only cherish.

"We will learn all we need to know together."

"Yeah, but you're way smarter than me so you'll have to wait until I catch up."

"Jacob, that is not true," Linka readily frowned up at him. A habit of his she was forever trying to tear down was his skewed self-perception. Wheeler rarely allowed himself any praise, and she figured it was a sad carryover from his childhood. She ran a hand over his head in a brief caress and glanced into his eyes.

"I may be able to teach you a lot of things, but the things that _you_ do so well are things that cannot be taught. How loved you make me feel, and how easy it comes to you. How selfless you are, and the speed at which you would face danger in my place at any given time. Your honesty and your sense of humor. Your ability to forgive my bad temper. If our baby takes half these things after you, I will be the proudest mother alive."

"Babe…" Wheeler's voice broke with something like emotion and his eyes softened, and he pulled her closer to give her a fierce hug. Linka let him absorb her words in silence, gently rubbing the back of his neck with her free hand. She hoped that it would always be like this between them, with no walls or barriers erected from either side.

The beauty behind their emotions made for a perfect portrait of a young, hopeful couple who was holding on to love as their guide.

* * *

And so the lovebirds had gathered the rest of the Planeteers in the Commons Room on Hope Island in order to break the big news. Linka felt more nervous telling her friends than anything else she had faced up until that point. She was not one hundred percent sure they would fully support her decision, and for once in her life, she could not wait to be wrong. There were monumental consequences to her actions, and the incredible power she held in her hands suddenly paralyzed the blonde girl. She suddenly wondered if a surprise party would have been the better option to break the news. She and Wheeler wearing party hats, jumping out of a cardboard cake shaped like a pram or a pacifier. It could have been kinda funny and there'd be real cake, too, of course. It was hard to stay upset when cake was involved.

Linka and Wheeler walked into the room hand in hand, taking place on the smaller sofa facing the others. Gi looked bored as she mindlessly leafed through a fashion magazine, while Ma-Ti was playing with an old Rubik's Cube that was only solved on one side. Kwame was the only one seating neatly, waiting for the two friends to speak, giving them his undivided attention.

Wheeler tried speaking first, but he wasn't quite able to get the words out. He would start, then kind of drift off before changing his mind and starting again. After a few tries, Linka rolled her eyes heavenwards, and retrieved her hand from his. Did a girl have to do _everything_ around here? Sheesh!

"I am pregnant," Linka spoke up, her tone unwavering but her heart beating at ten thousand miles per hour. She figured it would never get to be an easy revelation to voice. Three pairs of eyes turned on the young couple as if aliens had invaded their bodies, and the room went silent. _Graveyard_ silent. Gi and Ma-Ti's things dropped on the floor, but no one bothered to pick them back up.

"Are.. are you sure?" Gi could only think to ask, looking at Linka's stomach as if a protruding bump would suddenly materialize magically.

"It has been medically confirmed, if that is what you mean," Linka replied, shrugging her shoulders a little and letting out a somewhat shaky breath. Gi's eyes had become saucers in her face, and no more words came out of her mouth.

Ma-Ti seemed shell-shocked, even though he was way past the phase where he saw girls as cootie-carriers. Being the only teen left in the bunch, he was probably wondering how Wheeler was going to get out of _this_ one.

"We wanted to tell you guys before we announce it to Gaia," Wheeler nodded, scanning each one of his friends' faces. "We thought…"

"How is this possible?" Kwame's voice sounded boomingly loud in contrast to the soft tone Wheeler had been using. Linka saw the pallor rise in the redhead's face once he took note that Kwame sounded furious. Never a good sign. Kwame was what you would describe as cool and collected ninety-five percent of the time. But the other five percent, well, let's just say Linka did not doubt his stories about killing wild animals with his bare hands back in the village.

"Kwame, I thought we already covered how babies are born," Gi tried to joke, but her feeble attempt to lighten the mood failed miserably, and Kwame shot her a dirty look. Gi most definitely bit her tongue after that.

The African leader stood up violently and pointed his finger at Wheeler. His eyes were blazing. "How could you do this?"

Linka straightened her shoulders and turned her eyes on Kwame, visibly annoyed.

" _Bozhe moi_ , Kwame, calm down! I know this is shocking, and huge, but the least we can do is talk about it in a civil manner, _nyet_?"

"Oh, you want me to calm down, do you?" Kwame shot back unkindly, pacing the room with the pent up rage of a tiger. Linka recoiled a little at the cold tone of his voice. She had imagined that they would be upset at first, sure, but she hadn't been prepared for such a rejection. She looked over at Gi who was biting her lower lip, uncertain, while Ma-Ti continued to be blown away by the news.

"I expected something like this from Wheeler, but never from _you_ , Linka. What the hell were you thinking?"

Faster than Linka could process things, Wheeler was out of his seat and all up in Kwame's face. Muscles tense and testosterone pumping freely. The Wheeler they all knew pretty damn well was making an appearance.

"Don't you _dare_ speak to her like that ever again, Kwame. I'm warning you," Wheeler let out dangerously, inches from the black man. Ma-Ti jumped up from his seat to stand between the two friends, effectively breaking them up.

"Hey, guys, come on now," the youngest Planeteer voiced, tugging on Wheeler's arm in order to get him to calm down. "Fighting will get us nowhere."

Linka wanted to die. Kwame was looking at her in such a way as to break her earlier resolve, and she felt small. Very small. Wheeler was pissed off, and none of the others had even congratulated her or anything! _What a disaster!_

"What will you do?" Gi asked, breaking the awkward pause, finally moving to take place next to Linka.

"Gaia will have to find a replacement for me," Linka let out calmly, and Gi nodded, although she was not all present behind her chocolate colored eyes.

"I cannot believe this!" Kwame exploded once more, filling the silence. He ran a hand through his short curly hair, and he stepped away from Wheeler, nearly in disgust. "Am I the only one who thinks this was utterly irresponsible of you two? Does your commitment to the team mean absolutely nothing?"

"Sometimes things just happen, Kwame," Wheeler piped up, and Linka could see his fists balling up at his sides. "We can't all be perfect like you!"

"Wheeler, do you have any idea how you've impacted Linka's future? Or are you too selfish to even see that?"

Ma-Ti had to step in again since the two friends were edging dangerously close again. The tension saturated the air like smoke at a barbecue party.

Kwame was beside himself. "She is twenty, for God's sake! _Twenty_! She's going to throw away her bright future because of this!"

"Enough!" Linka stood up, anger travelling through her at his words. "Do not talk about me as if I am not here! I am _done_ listening to you patronizing me, Kwame! Now, I am sorry that you are upset, but no one except _me_ is going to choose how to run my life. So you better respect the fact that we are having this baby and that the team will have to change a little as a consequence."

Linka was shaking a little with her outburst and Gi reached for her hand, pulling her back down on the sofa in an attempt to calm her down.

"I am very disappointed in you," Kwame shook his head at Wheeler, who took a step closer to him. The redhead was wired; he really was hopeless at hiding the turbulence behind his feelings.

"Guess what? I don't give a damn!" Wheeler shot back, and they both stormed off in opposite directions. It was quite theatrical, really. No one dared to follow them, since Earth and Fire would both need some serious time to cool off.

Ma-Ti was left standing in the middle of the room, and he drew in a deep breath. He was the one most likely to be upset over any fighting, and Linka was distressed that he'd had to witness that.

Her eyes must have reflected her state of mind, because M-Ti walked over to her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. It was a warm gesture, like him.

"I am sorry, Linka. They will come around."

He too, left, and the blonde watched the empty space the young boy had left behind.

"Are you mad at me, too?" Linka sighed, turning to her best friend sitting beside her. She desperately needed some reassurance from the Water Planeteer that things would not be as disastrous as they seemed.

"Yes," Gi voiced, and Linka was not sure how much more stabbing her heart could take that day. One hand flew unconsciously to her stomach, almost as if wanting to draw strength from the miniature being inside.

Linka was about to reply something, but Gi cut her off.

"I'm not mad because you're pregnant! I'm mad because you kept from me that you and Wheeler were doing it! God, how long has _that_ been going on between you two? You owe me major details!"

For the first time in what seemed like a long time, laughter bubbled out of Linka. When she looked over at Gi, the Asian girl was smirking, her arms akimbo, waiting.

"Not as long as you think, Gi! I think I got pregnant the very first time we were together," remarked Linka, hoping she was not blushing but knowing full well that she was.

"You're kidding!" Gi all but squealed, before letting her hand rest delicately on Linka's stomach as if she could feel something. Her imagination was running away with her, apparently.

"How far along are you?"

"Six weeks."

Gi whistled. "I bet it's been a good six weeks." She winked exaggeratedly at the shy Russian girl, then laughed at her embarrassed reaction.

"Regrettably, I don't have a sex life right now, and since you owe me for excluding me out of yours, just tell me how amazing it is so I can live through you."

" _Nyet_!" Linka was fully laughing now, taking her friend's hand affectionately in hers. "You know it is… _difficult_ for me to talk about these things."

"Come on!" Gi was pleading, laughing herself. "I'm not gonna want little details. We can talk about _big_ things, if you want!"

"Gi! _Bozhe moi_!" Linka's face colored considerably at her friend's shameless innuendo, and she covered her face with her hands.

"You're blushing, so it's true!" laughed Gi, triumphantly clapping her hands. "Lucky you! _Wow!_ So is it like those quizzes that we always snicker through? Like with the multiple thing in one night?"

Linka peeked at her friend through her fingers and nodded ever so slightly. But she could not help the smile that came to her lips, and it was useless trying to cover it up, because Gi was already squealing with delight.

"I'm _so_ done crying over my ex! That never happened to me! Time for a new man!"

The two friends giggled together and laughed some more until Linka reached over to hug Gi. She knew that things were going to be all right between them. The Wind and Water Planeteers were too close to let anything endanger their beautiful friendship. Linka knew that the incomprehension between them all would dissolve with time, and she was ready to bet that no other baby would ever be so loved.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Blame the song down below for the extra fluffiness coming your way (especially _this_ particular verse, makes me melt a little every time)… It's exactly what love should be *happy sigh*

(To **Nina Gatsby** : thanks again! :) It's so cool that you used to write! Why not try your hand at CP fic? You should totally get an account so we can PM! Yeah, I totally know the feeling of watching CP episodes just to see W/L in the same screen shot, LOL, I was a little obsessed with their storyline! Hee hee! I also really liked Wheeler's reaction to the baby news ;) Enjoy the next chapter!)

* * *

Chapter 4 – Look After You

 _When I'm losing my control, the city spins around_

 _You're the only one who knows, you slow it down_

"Look After You" – The Fray, from _How To Save a Life_

It was a blessed thing that telling Gaia had not been as dramatic for the two young lovebirds as they had initially thought. As they were trying to find the right words to explain to the Spirit of the Earth their current situation, the violet lady had placed both hands on Linka's lower abdomen, smiling delicately. _Gaia knew!_ Linka had been stupefied, and Wheeler had wanted to know if Gaia could feel the baby already, if it was all right. Gaia gave Wheeler a loving smile to calm his anxieties, and let them both know that the baby was healthy and growing.

Gaia understood that a new Wind Planeteer would have to be beckoned, but asked if Wheeler still wanted to be a part of the team. The redhead had looked over at Linka, and with a smile, the blonde girl had replied that there was no reason that Wheeler could not go out on missions with the rest of the team. She knew that Wheeler fiercely loved being a Planeteer, and she did not want to take that away from him. At least not for the time being. They had already discussed her moving to the Washington site, since Linka's uncle Dimitri worked in the same city with the Russian Embassy. This way, Wheeler would not worry too much whenever he was away from her.

This plan of action suited Linka just fine, for she could still work as part of the team in the function of "secretary", writing reports and presenting things to Parliament. If she could not take the front lines, working in the in background was the next best thing. Plus, she was very relieved that she could count on her uncle to keep her company. Dimitri had married a second time in America. She was a young weather girl on the local TV station that Wheeler had once described as "a house that's pretty to look at, but you know the lights are not all on upstairs". Linka had laughed at that for a while, feeling guilty all the while. It was so apt, though! Barbara, that was her name (but everyone was to call her "Barb" or "Barbie" even), was a dear girl but not too bright. However, Linka could see that she seemed to make her uncle happy, and that was good enough for her.

Kwame had also calmed down considerably, and he had apologized to Linka. The blonde girl knew that he saw both her and Gi as little sisters to protect and cherish, and so she could not stay angry at him. They had had a long talk. When the African leader realized that Linka was accepting this turn of events in her life with a sense of peace and awe, rather than doubt and fear as he had mistakenly assumed, he could not help but be happy for his Russian friend. Their decision to have Linka move to Washington seemed sensible to him, and he was glad that she could still take part in all that happened.

Kwame had also cleared the air with Wheeler, who readily forgave him. The American was not one to hold grudges, and they had talked things through and hugged it out. Everything had thankfully worked itself out for the best.

Linka was fully in the second month of her pregnancy, and a tiny little bump was starting to show, when the rest of the Planeteers helped her with the move to Washington. Wheeler had opted for half his things on Hope Island and the other half with Linka, so that he could travel back and forth as he pleased.

The blonde girl watched as her friends placed a few boxes here and there near the entrance, although she offered no assistance. It was a miracle that Wheeler was letting her to carry her own purse, since he had become extremely protective of her. She was not to carry anything that was remotely heavy or strain herself in any way, and Linka smiled fondly at his preoccupation over her. It was his way of contributing, and she let him have his little victory. She had always believed that it was wrong not to let men be _men_ ; it was their right, their identity, and no amount of overzealous feminist theory could strip them of that. Besides, she felt utterly loved when Wheeler showered her with his little attentions, so she was more than glad that that aspect hadn't changed!

Linka was feeling great and looking healthy. She had very few morning sickness episodes, and her appetite was growing each day. She slept soundly, although she loved the times when Wheeler kept her up to show her his deep affection. Those were _good_ nights. The two of them kept growing closer together, and more in love. In fact, Linka had not been too surprised when Wheeler had stated that they should get married. She had anticipated that the Yankee would ask her, because he loved her and because he liked doing the "right" thing. Although moved and thrilled about it at the same time, Linka had tried explaining that with everything that was already going on, it would be too overwhelming trying to wrestle with wedding planning, as well. It would be too much to take on simultaneously. She had kissed him to erase the disappointed look on his face, and promised him that they would talk about it again after the baby was born. This had cheered Wheeler up considerably, and Linka had gone on to convince him of her love for him using other methods besides words. That had been a _really_ good night!

Presently, Linka turned to see her Yankee taking her hand and smiling at her. The others were getting ready to go out and bring back something to eat for everyone, and Linka smiled fondly at Kwame, who was asking her if there was anything in particular she was craving. She answered that anything they chose would be fine, and soon after, she and Wheeler were left alone in the apartment.

"I hope not to see any more boxes for a while!" the Russian beauty exclaimed, taking a seat on the sofa facing the flat screen television. She would work on the boxes tomorrow, when the others would be away, and neatly place everything in its proper place. For now, she just wanted to relax after the long trip. The move from Hope Island hadn't been as easy as she had anticipated, and she had been sorry to leave what felt like a part of her youth behind.

"I was hoping you wouldn't say that, babe," Wheeler scrunched up his face at her adorably, and he went back to retrieve something from the entrance. He presented it to her while taking a seat beside her, and Linka slowly accepted it with a grin. It was a delicate white box with a pretty bow on it, extremely light in her hands.

"What is it, Yankee?" she asked as she gave him a kiss for his thoughtfulness. Wheeler brought her closer and deepened the kiss, and she was utterly breathless by the time she was free again to open her gift.

Curiously, Linka slid the ribbon off and carefully moved aside the pristine tissue paper inside. Emotion caught in her throat when her hands stroked a tiny little knit hat and tiny little matching booties made for a tiny little baby. The colors were pale green and white, exquisite. Since the sex of the baby remained undetermined as of yet, Wheeler had opted for gender neutral hues.

"Oh, Jacob," Linka whispered, shakily fighting back tears at the sweetness of his gift. "They are perfectly adorable."

"I saw them the other day and thought so, too," Wheeler smiled widely, squeezing her hand.

Linka returned his smile and fondly fingered the booties. They were soft and incredibly cute. "Just think, in a few more months, little feet will go in here," she added, unable to keep the smile from spreading further over her face.

"Do you think we should pick a name, yet?" Wheeler asked excitedly, and Linka could not help but give him another kiss. It still surprised her to see Wheeler so enthused about becoming a father. She had not particularly pegged him as the type, but he was surpassing all her expectations. He was being very supportive, and not at all spooked by the daunting experience awaiting him. Linka was very proud of him, indeed, and drew incredible strength from his loving presence.

"Did you have something in mind?" Linka inquired, letting her glance linger on his blue eyes, knowing that he probably had it all figured out by the smirk on his face.

"How about I pick the name if it's a girl, while you get to choose if it's a boy?"

Linka thought this over and nodded, satisfied.

"That seems fair. So, what will we name our baby girl?"

Wheeler took her hands and suddenly appeared shy, something that warmed Linka's heart even more. His smile was lovely and genuine as he considered his answer.

"What do you think of Hope? The place where I fell in love with you when we first met, Hope Island. I want to tell her all about that someday. You know, when she's old enough to grasp the concept of magical rings and blue superheroes!"

Linka laughed at his afterthought, but her heart was swelling with love at his reasoning. It was _perfect_. But Wheeler had to quit being _that_ adorable, though, seriously! God, she felt all "melty" inside, like those chocolate-covered marshmallow hearts.

"I love it," she sighed contently, and Wheeler kissed her just as happily.

"If we have a boy, I would like to name him Nikolay, after my father," Linka suggested, knowing that her dear Papa would be smiling down from heaven at that honorable mention. It would be her way of keeping him with her, since she'd lost him in a tragic mining accident many years ago, and still missed him profusely.

"Nick and Hope it is, then!" Wheeler grinned excitedly, and Linka smiled, placing the lid back on the gift box.

"Oh, and we get dibs on the name that doesn't make it. You know, for the next time," Wheeler added (too) easily, (too) carelessly, and Linka's head shot up like an arrow fired by an expert archer.

"What do you mean ' _for the next time_?'"

"Well, once you finally agree to marry me, we're gonna have more kids, right?"

Wheeler suddenly looked so fearful of her reaction that Linka burst out laughing.

"Define ' _more_ ' and quantify ' _kids_ '," Linka replied smartly, choosing to have some fun with him. Seeing Wheeler squirm was still the best!

"Aww, babe, don't go puttin' me on the spot now!" he groaned a little, protesting, as he rubbed the back of his neck contemplatively. "I never understood parents who only ever had one kid. I grew up without any siblings and it totally sucked! No one to play with or blame things on, it just didn't seem fair!"

"Overpopulating the Earth is not very fair, either," Linka arched an eyebrow at him good-humoredly, then burst into a fit of laughter when Wheeler started tickling her. She'd asked for it, really, the Yankee was only getting his revenge!

Linka let him gently wrestle her down on the sofa cushions until he was leaning over her, having effectively pinned her wrists above her head. Wheeler went on to kiss her in that deeply delicious way that caused all her thoughts to melt away, and she offered no resistance whatsoever. She loved the way he completely ruled over her emotions; strangely enough, it was the most _freeing_ experience she'd ever had.

"Babe, I hope you know I'm serious when I say I want to spend the rest of my life with you," Wheeler whispered in her ear, covering her neck with kisses and making her shiver. The blonde became incoherent for a moment as a consequence, then she gently lifted his head upwards in order to meet his eyes. The emotion she saw there moved her.

"Nothing means more to me. I never thought I'd want a family with anyone, not after the kind of life I had. I guess a part of me was scared of repeating the mistakes my parents made with each other, with me. But when I look at you, babe… Linka, I'd die before hurting you in any way, and I already love the baby you're carrying so much. I want to be everything you need, and everything our baby needs. I'll work hard at it every day, I promise. I don't mean to freak you out with my vision of the future, so just shut me up if I do."

Linka's eyes were moist by this point and she gave her American sweetheart a watery smile. She caressed the side of his face fondly, drawing in a deep breath, before replying.

"I am not ' _freaked out_ ' at all, Jacob. In the end, we want the same things. We may have speeded things up a little, _da_ , but this was our destiny. We are going to have a beautiful family together, the family you deserve, and you are going to be a wonderful father. I have never doubted that, not for a moment."

Wheeler looked at her as if she were a long lost treasure, and Linka swore he could still make her blush when he did that! He lost no time claiming her mouth again, and she happily gave in to him, uncaring that their friends were likely to walk in at any moment with dinner and find them locked in a passionate embrace. Nothing the other Planeteers were not used to, anyway!

"Have I told you yet today how much I love you?"

Linka giggled happily at his words, then batted her long eyelashes up at him. "I really do not mind if you tell me over and over again, Yankee."

"God, how did we get to be so sickeningly sweet?" laughed Wheeler, and it was infectious enough to get the blonde laughing along with him.

"Hey, do not blame me! I was never like this before you came along!"

"I know, I haven't forgotten your brutal rejections at the beginning," Wheeler joked, placing one hand over his heart in mock hurt. "Seriously don't know how I recovered, babe!"

Linka smiled and wrapped her limbs about him, bringing him closer and brushing her lips faintly over his.

"I think I have more than made up for it, _nyet_ , darling?"

The effect she had on Wheeler was evident, and it was good to know she could still take his breath away when needed. Linka was pretty satisfied with herself and her _femme fatale_ qualities. She was literally a hot mama! _Ha!_

"Damn, babe, if you keep that up, I can't promise the others will walk into a PG-13 situation," Wheeler warned, placing urgent kisses on her neck.

Linka laughed and convinced him they should probably get up; even she could tell she sounded reluctant. But since she had no resistance whatsoever when it came to Wheeler, especially lately, she knew it was a good idea to stop now before things got too heated. She really did not want to give Gi a visual to go along with her stories.

Wheeler helped her up with a gentleman-like gesture, and Linka gave him a bright smile in return, before the American pulled her in for a long, final kiss. Hand in hand, they headed off to the kitchen to set the table and wait for their friends to come home.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 – Perfect

 _We are still kids but we're so in love_

 _Fighting against all odds_

 _I know we'll be all right, this time_

"Perfect" - Ed Sheeran, from ÷

Linka's replacement was a boy from Finland named Svёn. According to Gi, he was a "clumsy giant with shaggy blonde hair, very 'woodsy' but hilariously uncoordinated." The Asian girl had taken to whining about being the only girl on the team, but Linka knew that deep down, she enjoyed all the male attention coming her way. Plus, Gi had a way of bonding with men that Linka had often envied; it came natural to Gi, and guys were comfortable around her, at ease.

Wheeler had stated that he would never get used to Svёn and his brusque ways. The redhead had confessed that he had always loved the wind element for its grace and beauty; now, they were lucky the Finnish boy didn't create some tiny typhoon and blow them all away. Apparently, the newcomer needed more practice with his ring. But Linka knew that they were at least all getting along, and although she cherished the fact that her friends all greatly missed her, she was glad that the team was once more consolidated.

Personally, Linka had bigger things to worry about. She was currently seven and a half months pregnant. It was no small feat, ladies and gentleman. Even though settled into her daily routine, it was still incredibly difficult to get around with the protruding belly. The toughest part was accepting that there were certain things she just couldn't do. Like tie her own shoelaces, or run to hail a taxi. Or have an uninterrupted night's sleep without getting up to pee two, fifteen times. For a fiercely independent girl such as herself, it was a tough pill to swallow, but Linka tried consoling herself in all ways possible. The finish line was within viewing distance, just over the horizon. She could do this!

In the mornings, Linka enjoyed taking walks around the numerous parks the city had to offer, sitting in the playgrounds and watching small children playing, sometimes having friendly chats with the accompanying caretakers. Then, she would go to the local market to get this and that, before stocking up on muffins from her favorite bakery (the one indulgence while pregnant she just could not do without! Forget pickles and ice cream! Who could resist soft cranberry muffins, or flavorful macadamia nut muffins, or mouth-watering caramel chips muffins? Wheeler always made sure to pick up a few, or a boxful, before coming home. _Another_ reason to love him!).

When lunch time came, uncle Dimitri would pick Linka up and they would have a lovely meal at his house. Barb could not cook, naturally, but they had a maid that took care of preparing delicious lunches, among other things. Then, once Linka returned home, she would spend the good part of the afternoon and evening working on Planeteers reports, as well as any extra research the team needed done for current or upcoming missions. A light meal/snack would follow, and finally the Russian beauty would collapse in bed, thoroughly tired out. Most of the time, she cradled the phone close to her ear under the covers and talked to Wheeler before falling asleep, if he wasn't right in the middle of a mission or anything. His voice helped to soothe her daily anxieties.

When Wheeler was with her, Linka's day looked a lot different. The pace was more relaxed. The young couple could be found mainly in the bedroom making love, or in the kitchen making dinner. _No complaints about those days!_ , decided Linka with a smile.

Wheeler wanted her to rest while he was home and not work on anything. He'd go out for whatever little thing she needed, and even offered to help with little house chores here and there. An act of true love, indeed! The American behaved like a total darling, and she was very thankful for his strong presence, drawing strength from it herself.

The one thing Linka was _not_ going to miss about being pregnant was how emotional it made her. Seeing that the Russian girl had never been a "touchy-feely" type of a person, she was even less equipped to deal with this novelty. Tears would just naturally come to her eyes and she did not know how to turn them off. She cried at least a couple of times any given day. They weren't sad tears by any means. It could be a song playing over the radio, or a distant memory that would trigger the waterworks. Most of all, Linka got emotional about all the changes taking place. New life, new home, new habits, new body. She had never been very good with _change_ , per se, but having it happening all at once was quite a lot to deal with.

It seemed to be a lot worse when Wheeler wasn't there to console her. At first, the redhead had been so shocked by her emotional outbursts, he had all but freaked out! Never had Linka been so fragile before. Wheeler would promise to come home _right now_ upon hearing the small tragedy happening on the other side of the receiver (not the easiest thing when they were tackling a mission overseas, for example). Then, Wheeler began to gradually understand that Linka just needed to get it all out, basically. Again, that dynamic was strange in itself, because Linka had never needed comforting before. And so, all Wheeler could do was listen and soothe her when she had her little breakdowns over the phone.

They were silly things she got upset about, really. Linka felt like the ludicrous issues could be on a "top ten list" of some late night talk show. They were a bit redundant as it was. She could easily hear them being read from some cue card, with the drum roll and everything, and the audience laughing at every pause. The podium was made up as follows:

 _Number Three:_ _"My back is sooooo sore! Nothing will help at all! I cannot feel my feet, either! As if not seeing them in months was not bad enough!" (Sniffle)_

 _Number Two:_ _"I am going to be a terrible mother! I know nothing about raising babies! Oh, God, what if our baby hates me?" (Sob)_

 _And Number One:_ _"You do not find me attractive anymore! I just know it! How could you, I am as big as three buildings put together!" (Gushing waterfalls-style tears)_

Incredibly enough, these trivial things seemed like real problems to Linka in her current state, and they would get her in a funk. She could only be grateful that Wheeler was very good at dismissing her fears and actually getting her to laugh once the sniffling had subsided. It would take some stupid, silly joke of his and she would feel whole again. In actuality, she knew none of those things were as crucial or as real as she made them out to be, but she could not help her emotional reaction to them. The hormones were taking their revenge, turning her into a teary, useless mess. After spending a lifetime of being in control of herself, the Russian girl could not overlook the bitter irony of it all.

* * *

Things were proceeding more or less fine. It was finally springtime, and Linka was mere weeks from her due date. Little did she know that her little bundle of joy would choose to arrive earlier than expected. She was in the company of her uncle, who had just driven her to the mall, since he was intent on buying the crib for the baby as a gift. Dimitri was getting very excited about the coming of the little one, and Linka tried to involve him as much as possible to show her gratitude for all his months of caring.

The blonde girl was about to get out her uncle's car, no small task at nine months, when sharp pains hit her abdomen, nearly knocking the wind out of her. _Contractions!_ Linka's heart was beating faster than ever, but her mind told her to focus on her breathing. It did not take long for her water to break, and all she could think to tell her stunned uncle was "call Wheeler, now!"

The rush to the hospital, the buzz of activity surrounding her, everything was a massive blur to Linka. Only the contractions were real and the speed at which they came. It was hard to focus on anything else when it felt like piranhas were eating at your insides with gusto. She got placed in a room and helped into hospital attire, when fear gripped her. This was real! It was happening! Painful questions took turns tormenting her. What if she wasn't strong enough? Worse yet, what if the baby wasn't ready?

Dimitri was soon joined by Barb, and they stood by her bedside, calming her down and helping her breathe the best way they knew how, but all Linka wanted was for Wheeler to hurry to her. She suddenly did not think she could do this without him! Now was when she needed his strength the most.

Two or three hours went by in actuality, but to Linka it felt like mere frenzied moments. The pain of the contractions was considerable, and she prayed for extra strength to deal with whatever came next. There was still so much to do!

Suddenly, there was incredible commotion in the room. A distinguished-looking doctor was examining her and all Linka could focus on were his words, since he was saying that the baby was in complete breech position. _What the hell does that mean?_ she wanted to bark out suddenly. The blonde girl was trying hard to listen to his words but all she felt was incredible fear. Something about _really_ needing to push because it would be a more complicated delivery than most, and all Linka could hear was her heartbeat and the metallic taste of terror on her tongue. Strangely, not for herself, but for her baby, instead. Linka realized she no longer cared what happened to her, as long as the baby would be all right.

She was praying against the fainting sensation that was starting to rise in her chest (recognizing it as panic), praying for her precious baby to make it out alive and well, when Wheeler burst in the door. Tears of relief were surely lining her face by this time, but Linka had no time to think because a string of intense contractions were taking her breath away. Wheeler swiftly took her hand to hold it firmly in his own, and Linka was ever so grateful for his words of comfort that only she could hear. She felt she could do this now, with his solid presence beside her.

The doctor, on the other hand, was absolutely frightening her with his directives. He was making her dizzy, for crying out loud! All she could picture was getting up from the bed and punching him square in the jaw! For Linka kept pushing like he was coaching her, but it never seemed to be exactly what he was looking for. It wasn't like she wasn't trying with all her spirit, soul, body, and mind! _Damn it!_ But no, " _Push_ , Linka, you're gonna have to do much better than that, come _on_!" and hell, she wanted to see _him_ try! Linka channeled her extreme hatred for the doctor through her pushing, along with the love for her unborn child, of course, and the combination of intense emotions seemed to do the trick.

The fatigued blonde girl was not even sure when it was over. The experience was quickly becoming a smorgasbord of pain and confusion her brain could hardly deal with anymore. Could this be the greatest achievement in the world, giving birth? Should all mothers get a massive trophy for enduring such madness? The air had the smell of blood and antiseptic to it, and she let her head finally hit the pillows behind her, as she allowed her breathing return to normal. Linka's eyes closed and she could feel Wheeler's cool hand on her sweaty forehead, before he spoke to her. His tone was joyful.

"You did it, babe!"

The blonde girl fluttered her eyes open and a tiny smile made its way on her face. As for the lower half of her body, well let's just say that she chose to tune that out for the time being, and she focused on breathing evenly, instead. Moments went by, there was movement in the delivery room, and then, the greatest thing in the universe happened. Like a ray of light shining through a violent storm at sea. A smiling nurse was handing Linka a tiny, wrinkled, flushed baby wrapped in a soft blanket.

"Congratulations, it's a healthy baby girl."

The world all but stopped rotating on its axis as Linka extended her arms in order to hold her daughter for the very first time. The sweat, the tears, the exhaustion, the madness, everything melted away in one of her precious little coos. It was love at first sight.

"Oh," was all Linka could muster, and she blinked back tears, as the words died in her throat. Her eyes hungrily took in the baby's body, her adorable little face, before Linka laughed through the tears when the infant moved her tight little fists in the air. Linka interpreted it as a sign of victory, and already she was proud of the little one.

"Hope," whispered Linka lovingly, before looking up at Wheeler beside her, whose eyes were fixed on the baby in her arms. They had opted against finding out the sex of the baby, preferring to wait until birth, and Linka could not have been more pleased at their decision to do so. This felt like an indescribable type of surprise, better than one hundred surprise parties all wrapped in one.

Linka kissed the little forehead delicately, before offering the bundle over to Wheeler. He seemed at a loss for what to say, and carefully took the baby from her mother's arms as if she were the most fragile, most beautiful thing in the world.

"Our little Hope," Wheeler let out in wonder, taking in his daughter as if she were vital oxygen underwater. The American seemed transfixed by her.

"She's perfect," he added, letting his fingers ever so gently caress her head, the shape of her face, her nose, and chin, as if he could barely believe she was finally in his arms.

Linka's heart was aching with love watching them, but she wasn't quite ready for what came next. It tugged at her heart, and disheveled all her emotions, when she saw Wheeler's eyes filling with tears. As they fell on his cheeks silently, Linka brushed them away gently, seeing that his hands were occupied, and also as a sign of reassurance. Never had she witnessed her strong Yankee being so vulnerable in front of her. It was something of a huge honor to be let in so deeply inside his core.

"Babe… thank you. For giving me such an incredible gift," the redhead whispered, his voice broken with emotion, and Linka smiled tenderly at him. She moved in to kiss him softly, then caressed Hope's head with soothing touches.

"You helped make her, too, Yankee," Linka reminded him with a bright grin, and he let out a low chuckle.

"Well, then, she's _by far_ the best thing I've done so far in my life," Wheeler decided with proud determination, kissing the baby fondly on the head.

The two lovers spent endless minutes cooing over their brand new little ray of sunshine and sharing meaningful glances. It was as if they did not want to miss any gesture performed by their baby girl, everything she did was endlessly precious. Suddenly, happiness had taken on a new definition for Linka. Everything she had thought to be good or delightful before paled in comparison to how completely blissful she felt just sitting there with Wheeler and Hope. She was filled with more love than she had ever thought one single person could hold. _Nothing_ , no treasure, no precious stone or metal, no earthly wonder, could ever be so vitally valuable.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Thanks to everyone who's read and reviewed! It means a lot! :)

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Chapter 6 – Home

 _In your eyes_

 _I know I'm home_

 _Every tear, every fear_

 _Gone with the thought of you_

 _Changing what I thought I knew_

 _I'll be yours for a thousand lives_

"For You" – Liam Payne & Rita Ora, from _Shifty Shades Freed_

Hope was a small baby because of her anticipated arrival, but she already had the spirit of a fighter, growing quickly enough to convince the doctors that she could go home in a week's time. Both parents were delighted beyond measure. They could not wait to take care of the little one in the privacy of their own home, at their own pace.

It was the second night that Hope was away from the hospital, and Linka blinked her eyes open to take in the numbers on the alarm clock. It was 3:20am. She stretched her arms over her head and threw the covers off her body. Hope's next feed was in about ten minutes, and given that the little one was already punctual as heck, Linka yawned while getting up, before throwing a thin robe over her nightgown. The Russian girl had synchronized her sleeping patterns with her daughter's, plus her brain was never really fully asleep anymore. Her ears were perked, attentive even in sleep for the slightest sound of distress coming from the nursery. Plus, her breasts were sore, ready to burst with motherly goodness. Linka groaned as she massaged them delicately, hoping that the baby was hungry. She hated those stupid breast pumps and much preferred that Hope emptied them the natural way. Wheeler sure as hell had no complaints about her breasts and how voluptuous they were, but she missed her inconspicuous, complying mounds from the past! Ah, yes, the good old days, when her breasts didn't leak milk or were rock hard at any given moment. _Sigh!_

Linka smiled a little to herself before turning on the lamp by the bedside, knowing that she really did not mind any of these things. Hope erased all those things when she was in her arms, and the rest became irrelevant. Plus, the important thing was that Linka had finally ceased being overly emotional about everything, and this secretly made the blonde girl feel more in control of herself. She had never been too comfortable around intense feelings on display for all too see.

Wheeler was not in bed, and Linka ran a hand through her disheveled hair before exiting the bedroom. The faint glow of the night light was coming forth from the nursery, and Linka stopped at the door to take in what was happening inside. Wheeler was leaning over the crib, head resting on his folded forearms, watching Hope as she slept serenely. He was very focused on the task at hand. Linka could feel the affection radiating off his intent glance, and her heart beat with approval.

She advanced leisurely, moving to place an arm around his waist. Wheeler's attention shifted as if she had awakened him from a deep dream.

"Hey," was his quiet greeting as his eyes left his daughter for a few seconds.

Linka yawned and placed her head on his shoulder, and together they quietly watched Hope safe and warm in her crib. Her arms were thrown over her head, and the slightest movement came from her chest rising and falling with each breath.

"Feeding time?" asked Wheeler before kissing Linka's forehead lightly.

Linka nodded sleepily, and he rubbed her back with slow, circular motions, communicating his quiet comfort to her.

"I like watching her sleep," Wheeler admitted with a little smile, turning back to their daughter. "It's just… _amazing_. The definition of peace. She sleeps with her mouth open, like her mom. And she's beautiful, like her mom."

Linka giggled pleased and wrapped both her arms more tightly about him.

"She has your strong spirit."

"Yeah, we're in trouble."

They laughed lightly together, and Wheeler straightened so that he could hold Linka against him. The blonde girl let herself be lulled by his warmth, and she closed her eyes against his chest.

Wheeler took to rubbing her back, before his hands moved to caress her shapely breasts. A chuckle escaped him. "Damn, these babies are gonna blow!"

Linka shooed his hands away with fake annoyance and smiled, looking up at him through jade eyes. "I knew there was a price to pay to have them looking this good."

Wheeler laughed before tightening his hold around her waist. Linka's eyes moved to his mouth and she unconsciously leaned in closer to him. A twinge of desire crept over her, bringing a warm shiver down her spine.

"Just when I thought you couldn't get any more gorgeous, you go and prove me wrong, babe."

Linka smiled at his tone of voice and closed her eyes against the sweet assault Wheeler's lips were performing on her neck. She let out a satisfied sigh as she ran a hand through his hair. The intimate contact felt good after days of fretting over Hope, and she rubbed up more against her sweet Yankee boy.

Her breath hitched when Wheeler captured her mouth for his passion was contagious, and Linka readily molded herself against him. Wheeler was holding her firmly by the hips, his tongue tracing the inside of her mouth, until a soft moan escaped her lips. God, she was _so_ ready for him to…

Obviously, Hope chose that exact instant to wake up, her little desperate cries echoing through the room, calling attention to herself. The young couple was thus forced to separate, with understandable reluctance on both parts. _Nothing they couldn't continue later, anyway_ , reflected Linka confidently, letting a little smile shine through. She moved to pick up the baby, cradling her close to her chest. Hope immediately stopped fussing once she sensed her mother's warmth, and Linka would never feel less amazed by that.

"Come on, little princess," she smiled fondly, kissing the back of her head. Linka took the few steps that separated the crib from the rocking chair, and she sat down on it, settling Hope in her arms so that she could offer the infant her breast. Thankfully, Hope had never had any problems with feeding since birth, and Linka watched her lovingly. Hope seemed happy as she steadily suckled the breast milk, eyes closed. She would fall asleep in that position as well, so comforting it was to her.

Wheeler had sat himself down on the carpeted floor, taking them in silently, as if afraid he would disturb the magic of the moment. The look in his eyes was awe-filled and tender.

Linka rested her head back against the chair, taking to rocking gently. Her fingers drew delicate patterns on Hope's head, and she started humming an old lullaby from her childhood. Her eyes traveled to Wheeler, and she smiled. They were still kids themselves, sure, but somehow, they had found the perfect recipe for happiness. The Russian girl had never hoped to feel so fulfilled in her life, and everything she had previously thought of becoming could hardly compare to this.

"You're incredible, babe," Wheeler distracted her from her thoughts, and his sincere tone of voice caused her to instantly smile. Their eyes met, and Linka could barely believe that there seemed to be no limit to their fantastically strong connection. Somehow, she knew it would always be like this between them.

"Why, thank you, Yankee. You are not so bad yourself," she teased with a little chuckle, greatly delighting in the ready smile Wheeler was offering her.

Linka's heart was bubbling over with love. Gooey, magical, happily-ever-after love. She nearly laughed when she realized that Gi's collection of romance novels had _nothing_ on her own tale of deep love and complete happiness.

THE END


End file.
